How long does it take to see a doctor? A Revealing Study

Wait. Seriously? How long? There’s nothing sooner?

Finding a new doctor can be difficult. We’ve probably all had this experience when moving to a new area. Many people are having this experience now because of the vast changes to many provider networks brought about by Obamacare.

And if you’re trying to schedule your first appointment in that doctor’s office, you may have to wait awhile. Quite a while, actually. So let’s discuss the problem and a solution:

The Problem is Access

The Washington Post just published a study that reports on the average time it takes to see a new doctor in 15 major American metropolitan areas. The longest wait is in Boston, where it takes an average of 66 days (!) to get a first-time visit to a family physician!

The shortest wait among the 15 cities was in Dallas, where it takes 5 days. The wait in Dallas doesn’t seem too bad, until you realize that most of us wait until we’re sick before trying to schedule a visit. So we wind up in an expensive urgent care clinic or, worse, an ER.

The Problem is Getting Worse

Consider Atlanta, Georgia (our hometown). How long do you have to wait to see a doctor in the Atlanta area?

In 2013 the average wait to see a family doctor was 24 days!

Just 4 years earlier, in 2009, the wait was only 9 days. Think about that.

In four years the average wait time to see a family physician increased by over 250%. If anything, the implementation of Obamacare will only accelerate that change – meaning these waits will get a lot longer. Access to medical care is getting harder. So what can you do?

One Simple Solution

There’s one solution that is faster, more convenient, and far more affordable than any other option.

You can cut your average wait time to see a doctor from several weeks to about 15 minutes – anytime and anywhere.

It’s why thousands of people use telemedicine to consult with doctors via phone or video link. In fact, the American Medical Association says that 75-80% of office visits to primary care doctors are for issues that could be handled effectively via telemedicine.

Telemedicine will not replace your need to have a primary care physician. But it can help you consult a real doctor in your state anytime night and day if you can’t get quick access to a primary care doctor.

There are no office hours – we’re talking 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

After all, as any parent can tell you, sickness doesn’t always show up during normal business hours. It often shows up on nights and weekends and when you’re out of town.

Telemedicine is affordable too. Your entire family can get access to telemedicine for $9.99/month – and there are no copays or fees to use the service.

The convenience, affordability, and simplicity of using telemedicine present a pretty compelling case. Why not check it out? If you don’t like it, cancel it at anytime.